Arrangement providing for the aiming of an artillery carriage in all directions



April 3, 1926. 1,665,176

E. RIMAILHO ARRANGEMENT PROVIDING FOR THE AIMING OF AN ARTILLERY CARRIAGE IN ALL DIRECTIONS Filed June 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Apnl 3, 1928.

I E. RIMAILHO ARRANGEMENT PROVIDING FOR THE AIMING 0? AN ARTILLERY CARRIAGE IN ALL nnwc'rxons Flled ne 1925 2 Sheets-Shoot 2 inn/61pm Z fi/ma/ i lbo jjU' 36 Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

COMIAGNIE DES FORGES &-

ACIERIES DE LA MARINE & DI-IOMECOURT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

ARRANGEMENT PROVIDING FOR THE AIMING OF AN ARTILLERY CARRIAGE IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

Application filed June 2, 1925, Serial No. 34,483, arid in France June 14, 1924.

The present invention relates to artillery apparatus in which the carriage is provided with wheels, endless bandsvor the like and is so disposed as to be supported at the front part, during the firing operation, upon a suitable support or base plate upon which 1t is enabled to pivot for the aiming in direction, the wheels being raised to a certain height above the ground.

According to my invention, the said base plate is not employed to ensure the transverseequilibrium of the carriage, and this equilibrium is obtained exclusively by the wide supporting base disposed in the rear and formed by the two ends of the crosspiece of the carrage. i

The said platform may be completed by a circular roller path uponwhieh the crosspiece of the carriage is movable, and the said cross-piece may be provlded with suitable means whereby the height of one of its ends may be regulated, so that the axis of the trunnions may be made perfectly horizontal when aiming in direction.

The apparatus thus disposed is well adapted for use as an anti-aircraft cannon, and it will provide for an easy and rapid aiming; a distant control aiming device may be employed therewith in avery slmple manner.

Obviously, the front part of the carriage may have a greater, or less distance from the ground, when at a considerable distance, this will increase the maximum allowable firing angle of the carriage and will also provide for a greater recoil distance in the case of vertical firing. The carriage should be so connected with the base plate that the carriage may be given three difi'erent movements: (a) pivotation on a vertical axis for the aiming in direction; (6) swinging movement on an axis parallel with the wheel axle for the vertical displacement of the trail cross-piece relatively to the ground; (0) inclination on a longitudinal axis whereby the said cross-piece will be enabled 'to follow the variable inclination of the ground, when aiming the piece.

The carriage will thus possess a sustaining triangle whereof the apex is at the front and the base at the rear.

The appended drawings show by way of in the firing position, with one of the wheels removed.

Fig. 2 is a alone. 7 i

Fig. 3 shows one of the rollers for the rolling motion.

Figure 4 shows the second roller whichis provide for the three movements as above setforth comprises a vertical axis 1 for pivoting between the wheelaxle and the said tapered support, an axis for pivoting to the front and rear which is constituted by the wheel axle itself, and a longitudinal axis forinclinationwhich is disposed between thecarriage and the wheel axle.

The support 13 carries at its centre a fork 14 forming verticalpivot axle which serves to support the wheel ing and which constitutes the vertical axis for pivoting between the wheel axle and the tapered support; this axle which is ofv a rectangular cross section. as shown is surrounded at the right and at the left of the carriage by two members 15 "capable of turning in slides 16 resting upon the "arms of the pivoting fork 14,, and capable of slightly moving upon these arms in the longitudinal direction of the carriage, so that the wheel axle will be rotatable and slidable relatively to the said fork in order to provide for slight vertical movements of the rear crosspiece when aiming in direction upon ground plan view of the base plate plate is entirely dis and the base plate'7 I axle 2 during the fir;

which in practice will never be quite flat 1 pose the outfit upon the base plate and to' subsequently remove the same. i

which is coaxial with the said base plate and consists of segments of U iron sup A circular roller path 21. is provided ported'upon the ground by the fiat bar members 22; each segment is connected by two rods 23 with the lower part of the said base plate. The rollers 24 and 25 co-operate with the said roller path., The roller 24 is mounted on one of the spades of the carriage by means of a forked support 26 which is maintained by a pin 27. The roller25 is mounted upon a member 218 which is vertically slidable in a forked support 29 which is mounted upon the second spade.

V The height of the member 28 maybe adjusted by the screw 30 and the hand wheel 31; this vertical adjustment of the roller25 enables the rear cross-piece to be set in the horizontal position, as also the said trunnions. A spirit level may be mounted on the said cross-piece for observations relative to this horizontal position. The said movement forthe obtainment' of the straight position of the carriage is effectedby a. rotation on a longitudinal axis .32 comprised in the apparatus, thus aflording the transverse inclination of the carriage relatively to the wheel axle.

Two rods 33 connect the ends of the rear crosspiece 4 of the carriage with a ring 34 which is revoluble on the base of the axle support orframe 13, said ring being coaxial with the pivoting axle. Between the said rods and 'the ring is interposed a pivoted bar 35, suitable joints being provided wherebythe said rods may move in all directions whichmay be required in the aiming operations.

The movement for the aiming in direction is efiected by the entraining of the fork 14 supporting the wheel axle. For this purpose one of the arms carries a pinion 36 which is actuated by a hand wheel 37 through the medium of aworm 38 a worm wheel 39, a shaft 46 and a tapered train 47; said pinion is in gear engagement with a toothed ring 20 secured to thesupport 13.

I prefer, in order to register the displacements'when aiming in direction, to provide uponithe carriage plate 40 an arm 41' ending in a ball 42 engaging a forked member 43 which is mountedupon a ring 18; said ring is mounted rotatable with easy friction upon a boss 19 of the support 13. The rings 18'and 20 are in the coaxial position. The ring '18 is provided with a pinion 44 in gear engagement with the toothed ring 20, so that'any displacement of the said carriage plate will rotate the said pinion, this rotation being indicated upon an azimuth dial 45 by means of a flexible transmission 48.

I effect the separate transportation firstly of the apparatus properly so called which is adapted for firing purposes, as it is, it resting upon the ground by means of its wheels and spades, and secondly of the elements providing for the firing in all azimuths, i. e. the platform 7 with its support 13 and'the various partsof the same, also the'roller path 21 in the shape of segments, with the rods 23 for connection with the baseplate, as well as the rollers-24 and 25, the rods 33 and the pivoted bars 35 for connecting the ends of the rear cross-piece 4 with the ring 34. i

The piece is mounted in the firing position upon its base plate in the following manner. The base plate 7 is disposed in the proper place, and the spades 11 are sunk in the ground; the wheel axle 2 is then brought above the'support 13 by suitable means and preferably by inclinedplanes.

The fork 17 israised, for instance by means of a jack placed within the support 13 and actuated by a lever extending to the exterior, the branches of the said fork will raise theaxle 2, so that theinclined planes can be removed; the fork 17 is then'allowed to descend, andthe axle 2-will'rest by means of its facing 15upon the arms of the pivoted fork 14, whilst the arm '41 will engage in the said fork. The roller path 21 is then put in place and the rollers24 and 25' are mounted on the spades 27. Lastly, the rods and their pivoted lever'35are mounted, in position. j w

When firing, the gunner provides for' the orientation of the piece'by'the use ofthe hand wheel 37, while, anothergunner operates the hand wheel of the adjustable roller so as to maintain the spirit level of "the cross-piece 4'b'etween its'standard lines.

Having thus described my apparatus, what I claim as new therein,and my own invention,'is:

1. In an artillery arrangement, the com bi'nation of a gun carriage,an enlargement at the rear of said carriage, a circular roller path, rollers mounted on the enlargement and cooperating with the said roller path, means for the 'verticaladjustment of one ofthe said'roller's, 'a baseplate, a support mounted thereon and adapted to support-the front part of the carriage, and bracing rods connectingxthe said base plate with the enlargement of the carriage.

2. The combination of an artillery arrangement mounted upon wheels comprising the whole of a carriagebo'dy'provided at the rear with "an enlargement, mounted, upon the axle through the medium of a pivoting longitudinal axis, with a base plate adapted to be anchored to the ground and forming {a socket or step-bearing 'for a pivot integral being capable of being shifted in rolling upon the ground, and one of them being adjustable in height.

3. In an artillery arrangement mounted 'upon'wheels, the combination of a carriage body with an enlargement formed at the rear of the said carriage body, a base plate adapted to be anchored to the ground, a vertical pivot integral with a fork uponthis base plate, articulation means between this fork and the front of the said carriage body comprising bearings for the axle formed upon the said pivot, a circular roller path whereof the center is situated upon the axis of the pivot disposed under the said enlargement, two hearing or supporting members provided at the ends of said enlargement resting upon this path, and means for adjust ing the height of one of these members.

4. In an artillery arrangement mounted upon wheels, the combination of a carriage body with an enlargement formed at the rear of the said carriage, a base plate anchored to the ground, a vertical pivot movable in this base plate, articulation means between this pivot and the front of the carriage body, means comprising bearings for the axle, a toothed ring connected with th'e'base plate, a gear train carried by the pivot and having one part inmesh with this ring and capable, through a mechanism, to roll upon the latter, a circular roller path having its center on the axis of the pivot and disposed under' the said enlargement two bearing members at the ends of'the saidenlargement resting on the said path and means for adjusting the height of one of these members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

EMILE RIMAILHO. 

